It is a well-known fact that the first thing most people notice about someone when meeting them is their smile. A healthy smile not only makes an impact on the person who it belongs to but people who they encounter as well.
But what if your smile is flawed, either in minor fashion or severely? It can have a very negative impact on your social life and the way you see yourself. In some cases, a severely flawed smile can even make someone feel insignificant or inferior to others.
At Vela Dental Center we see patients with varying degrees of dental issues that cause their smile to be less than ideal and some that their smile problems even lead them to depression. We take pride in the fact that we have been able to transform many lives in this very clinic with cosmetic dentistry Corpus Christi residents have come to know as the best in South Texas.
Transforming Smiles, Transforming Lives with Cosmetic Dentistry
If you are struggling with confidence and self-image issues due to dental problems such as crooked teeth, misalignment of teeth, overbites, or missing teeth—you don’t have to live with these complications, there is hope.
Your smile can be completely re-created using technologies and methods of advanced cosmetic dentistry.
At Vela Dental, we can drastically improve your smile and give you back the confidence and sense of self-worth you deserve. Your new smile can be the difference between floating through life, and actually living a full life. With a visit with one of our smile experts, we can determine the best course of action for your unique dental issues then correct them—leaving you with a new outlook on life.
How We Bring Your Smile To Life
While there are unique circumstances for every patient, there are many different technologies and methods of cosmetic dentistry Corpus Christi residents such as yourself can benefit from. Once we determine the proper method, we can breathe new life into your smile and give you the pride of a healthy smile that you’ve been seeking. Some of the most popular options for cosmetic dentistry we use are:
PORCELAIN CROWNS
Porcelain crowns are used to replace the part of the tooth that is visible and protrudes from the gumline. Porcelain is used because of its similarity to natural teeth both in form and their natural look.
Crowns are normally an option where your tooth has been partially destroyed from trauma, enamel erosion, or tooth decay. If you suffer from bruxism or clenching difficulties in your sleep; crowns are perfect for restoring full functionality to your teeth that have been damaged due to these conditions.
It should be noted however that crowns are not intended to fix an issue that is solely aesthetic. For example, if the problem you have with your teeth is purely related to the color, or look but are otherwise healthy teeth—there is a more appropriate option for those types of issues.
How Do Dental Crowns Work?
Crowns fit on your teeth much like a cap on a pen—they fit over the top of your tooth and protect the rest of the tooth beneath it. They are permanently attached in place with dental cement and once they are bonded, they act as a new tooth surface as well as support for the tooth beneath to keep it from disintegrating or falling apart.
PORCELAIN VENEERS
Similar to crowns, veneers are also constructed from porcelain but are very thin “sheaths” that are designed to improve esthetics only not function. Veneers should only be an option when your teeth are healthy and only suffer cosmetic issues such as:
- Stained teeth that don’t improve with whitening procedures
- Chipped teeth
- Slightly crooked or misshapen teeth
- Spacing issues or a large gap between the two front teeth.
How Do Porcelain Veneers Work?
A porcelain veneer is a thin shell that is designed specifically for your teeth, to fit over them like a sheath. Essentially, it hides any imperfections that don’t really need physical correction to function.
Benefits of porcelain veneers:
- They are strong and will last a long time
- They have a tooth-like surface
- We don’t need to remove as much enamel as with crowns to install.
- Veneers don’t stain easily
TEETH WHITENING
If you’ve ever brushed your teeth in the morning and noticed your teeth look a bit yellowed—you aren’t alone. Whether it’s age, foods we eat, smoking, or just genetics our teeth can become yellow, darker or temporarily stained.
Naturally, no one likes it when their teeth look discolored because white teeth have been sub-consciously pushed to society as a sign of youth and healthiness. The main causes of internal discoloration are usually genetics and medications that cause discoloration. External discoloration, on the other hand, is usually due to foods and drinks we consume and the usage of tobacco products.
In the realm of cosmetic dentistry, Corpus Christi residents seek out teeth whitening more often than any other cosmetic esthetic procedure. The good news is, Vela Dental center is one of the top practices in Corpus Christi for teeth whitening and in most cases, we can drastically improve the shade of your smile.
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
We only use the most advanced, yet gentle whitening techniques that do no damage to your enamel and give you a color that is up to ten shades brighter in just one visit. These treatments while still safe and gentle are much stronger and more of a value than you will find at your local Walgreens.
Using safe bleaching agents mixed with a gel that protects your tooth, we are able to whiten your teeth safely without burning your gums as some home product usage can do. Once the bleaching is done, we buff and rinse your teeth and you have a drastically brighter smile. While our teeth whitening is an in-office treatment, we do also recommend you follow up with the home maintenance kit we send you home with to keep that bright smile lasting as long as possible between in-office treatments.
It should also be noted that some discoloration root causes are not treatable by any tooth whitening methods—that’s why it’s important to come in and get an evaluation for teeth whitening to see if your problem is correctable.
CLEARCORRECT®
ClearCorrect is similar to the popular alignment system Invisalign and is slightly more affordable. Bracket and wire-free, ClearCorrect is more comfortable and much less visible than traditional metal braces.
How Does ClearCorrect® Work?
ClearCorrect provides the same beautiful results as traditional braces, but they are virtually invisible. Because the aligners are removable, they can be taken out for eating, drinking brushing and flossing. Upon completion of treatment, the patient will receive a retainer to maintain their new smile.
After a consultation, the patient will receive a set of custom-designed removable aligners to be worn in a particular order and for a set amount of time to gradually shift the teeth and achieve a straighter smile.
SIX MONTH SMILES
Six Month Smiles is a system similar to traditional braces that corrects crowded, rotated or misaligned teeth, but in a more condensed time frame—usually in 4-9 months. This system is not useful for correcting bite issues or skeletal problems but does a fantastic job aligning teeth for maximum comfort and ease of flossing and brushing. Friends and family will barely notice you’re wearing braces!
How Does Six Month Braces Work?
The system includes special brackets, arch wires, and elastic ties but they can be clear or white ties and even tooth-colored wires. The brackets and ties are practically invisible at a normal speaking distance and are highly effective in correcting esthetic issues that don’t require jawbone correction or anything major in that realm.
Trust Vela Dental Center With Your Smile Makeover
If you suffer from smile flaws like discolored, broken, or crowded teeth that we’ve mentioned; don’t just dream of a perfect smile—take action. Contact Vela Dental Center and let Dr. Vela or Dr. Egan transform your smile with the services mentioned.
Our dentists will hold a cosmetic consultation with you before providing any cosmetic dental treatment. During your consultation, discuss your smile aspirations with our dentists. Tell them what you would like the final result and look of your smile to be. Our dentists will then check the present state of your smile.
By the end of the consultation, one or more cosmetic treatments will then be recommended that will help you reach your ideal smile. We will take the time to explain each of your treatment options to you so that you can make an informed decision about your dental care. At that point, our dentists will form a treatment plan with you that fits your schedule and needs.
To learn more about cosmetic dentistry and to schedule an appointment, contact Vela Dental Centers Southside today.